Locked-in syndrome
Brain-computer interface

Our research seeks to develop an efficient and effective brain-computer interface system that will serve as a communication access method for individuals with locked-in syndrome. We strive to improve the accuracy and speed of the technology, as well as user satisfaction, for a system that can be used for functional written and spoken expression.
For more information on locked-in syndrome, please contact Betts Peters, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P. .
Betts Peters, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P. discusses brain-computer interfaces
Visit our BCI Playlist on YouTube for more videos that explain how brain-computer interface technology can help people with locked-in syndrome and their families.
Our research on locked-in syndrome
Grant abstracts
Here you will find short descriptions of the two grants that we are currently working on in brain-computer interface.
Publications
Writing papers about our work is an important part of the research process. The papers you will find here have been included in conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals.
- Andresen, E.M., Fried-Oken, M., Peters, B., &Patrick, D.L. (2016). Initial constructs for patient-centered outcome measures to evaluate brain-computer interfaces. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 11:7, 548-557.
- Moghadamfalahi, M., Erdogmus, D., Akcakaya, M., Nezamfar, H., Orhan, U., &Fried-Oken, M. (2015). Language-model assisted brain computer interface for typing: a comparison of matrix and rapid serial visual presentation. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems &Rehabilitation Engineering, PP(99), 1.
- Peters, B., Bieker, G., Heckman, S., Huggins, J.E., Wolf, C., Zeitlin, D., &Fried-Oken, M. (2015). Brain-computer interface users speak up: the virtual users' forum at the 2013 international BCI meeting. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96(3): S33-S37.
- Peters, B., Mooney, A., Oken, B. &Fried-Oken, M. (2016). Soliciting BCI user experience feedback from people with severe speech and physical impairments. Brain-Computer Interfaces, 3(1), 47-58.
- Roark, B., Fried-Oken, M., &Gibbons, C. (2015) Huffman and linear scanning methods with statistical language models. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 31(1), 37-50.
- Fried-Oken, M., Mooney, A., Peters, B., &Oken, B. (2015) A clinical screening protocol for the RSVP Keyboard™brain computer interface. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 10(1), 11-18. NIHMSID # 521124.
- Fried-Oken, M., Mooney, A., &Peters, B. (2015). Supporting communication for patients with neurodegenerative disease. NeuroRehabilitation, 37(1), 69-87.
- Huggins, J.E., Guger, C., Allison, B., Anderson, C.W., Batista, A., Brouwer, A.M., Brunner, C., Chavarriaga, R., Fried-Oken, M., Gunduz, A., Gupta, D. Kubler, A., Leeb, R., Lotte, F., Miller, L.E., Muller-Putz, G., Rutkowski, T., Tangermann, M., &Thompson, D.E. (2014). "Workshops of the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting: Defining the Future," Brain-Computer Interface Journal, 1(1), 27-49.
- Oken, B., Orhan, U., Roark, B., Erdogmus, D., Fowler, A., Mooney, A., Peters, B., Miller, M., &Fried-Oken, M. (2014). Brain-computer interface with language model EEG fusion for locked-in syndrome. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 28(4), 387-394. PMC # 3989447.
- Akcakaya, M., Peters, B., Mooney, A., Orhan, U., Oken, B., Erdogmus, D., &Fried-Oken, M. (2014). Noninvasive brain computer interfaces for augmentative and alternative communication. Reviews in Biomedical Engineering, 7, 31-49.
- Roark, B., Beckley, R., Gibbons, C., &Fried-Oken, M. (2013) Huffman scanning: Using language models with fixed-grid keyboard emulation. Computer Speech &Language, 27(6), 1212-1234. NIHMSID # 417417.
- Orhan, U., Akcakaya, M., Erdogmus, D., Fowler, A., Roark, B., Moghadamfalahi, M., Oken, B., &Fried-Oken, M. (2013). Offline analysis of context contribution to ERP-based typing BCI performance. Journal of Neural Engineering, 10, 1-14.
- Ball, L.J., Fager, S., &Fried-Oken, M. (2012). Augmentative and alternative communication for people with progressive neurological disease. Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 23(3), 689-699. PMC #22938882.
- Fager, S., Beukelman, D., Fried-Oken, M., Jakobs, T., and Baker, J. (2012). Access Interface Strategies. Assistive Technology, 24, 25-33. PMC #3663592.
- Orhan, U., Erdogmus, D., Roark, B., Purwar, S., Hild, K.E., Oken, B., Nezamfar, H., &Fried-Oken, M. (2011) Fusion with language models improves spelling accuracy for ERP-based brain computer interface spellers. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Conference Proceedings. 5774-5777.
- Hild, K.E., Orhan, U., Erdogmus, D., Roark, B., Oken, B., Purwar, S., Nezamfar, H., &Fried-Oken, M. (2011) An ERP-based brain-computer interface for text entry using rapid serial visual presentation and language modeling. Proceedings of the 49th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics: Human Language Technologies: Systems Demonstrations. Association for Computational Linguistics pp. 38-43.
- Orhan, U., Hild, K.E., Erdogmus, D., Roark, B., Oken, B., &Fried-Oken, M. (2011) RSVP Keyboard: An EEG based typing interface. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, &Signal Processing (ICASSP).
- Fried-Oken, M., Howard, J., &Roach Stewart, S. (1991) Feedback on augmentative and alternative communication intervention from adults who are temporarily unable to speak. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 7(1), 43-50.
Presentations
Every year we give presentations about the work we are doing. We have a diverse team who present on different aspects of the study.
- Peters, B., Eddy, B., McInturf, K., &Fried-Oken, M. (2016). Augmentative and alternative communication for adults with total locked-in syndrome. Presentation at the 2016 Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Toronto, Ontario.
- Peters, B., Bieker, G., Cach, M., Do, A., Fritz, A., Guger, C., Spataro, R., Vuckovic, A., &Fried-Oken, M. (2016) What does BCI stand for? The 2016 Virtual Forum of BCI Users. Presentation at the Sixth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Guger, C., Coyle, D., Mattia, D., De Lucia, M., Hochberg, L., Peters, B., Nam, C.S., Cruse, D., &Noirhomme, Q. (2016) BCIs for assessment of locked-in and DOC patients. Half-day workshop presented at the Sixth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Peters, B., Mooney, A., &Fried-Oken, M. (2016) Communication Strategies to Involve Potential Users in BCI Research. Proceedings of the Sixth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Memmott, T., Peters, B., Erdogmus, D., Fried-Oken, M., &Oken, B. (2016) Detecting Drowsiness in RSVP Keyboard™BCI Users with SSPI. Proceedings of the Sixth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Brain Computer Interface: A Primer for Clinicians, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dallas, TX, October, 2015
- Peters, B., Brumberg, J., Mooney, A., Zeitlin, D., &Fried-Oken, M. (2015). State of the Science Update: Brain-Computer Interfaces for Augmentative &Alternative Communication. Presentation at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention. Denver, CO.
- McInturf, K., Peters, B., Mooney, A., &Fried-Oken, M. (2015). Locked-In: A carer's perspective on communication and BCI. Poster at the Oregon Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Conference. Portland, OR.
- Perspectives of Individuals with SSPI on Brain-Computer Interface and AAC, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Lisbon, Portugal, 2014
- BCI within an AAC Framework, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, June 2014
- Fried-Oken, M, Mooney, A., &Peters, B. (2014). Learning to use a brain-computer interface: Attention training. Presentation at the Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Lisbon, Portugal.
- Peters, B. (2014). Brain-computer Interfaces for People with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments: Unlocking the Locked-in. Presented at Ignite Health 2.0. Portland, OR. Watch video
- The RSVP Keyboard™: A Brain-Computer Interface for Communication by People with Locked-In Syndrome, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society Conference, Bellevue, WA, 2013
- Fried-Oken, M., Bieker, G., Blackstone, S., Huggins, J., Mooney, A., Oken, B., &Peters, B. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication for BCI 101. Half-day workshop presented at the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Huggins, J., Bieker, G., Fried-Oken, M., Peters, B., Vaughan, T., &Wolf, C. (2013). Users' Virtual Forum: The final word. Presentation at the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Peters, B., Erdogmus, D., Fowler, A., Mooney, A., Oken, B., Orhan, U., Roark, B., &Fried-Oken, M. (2013). Effects of varying presentation rate and sequence length on user performance with the RSVP Keyboard BCI. Proceedings of the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Peters, B., Bieker, G., Mooney, A., Oken, B., &Fried-Oken, M. (2013). Selection strategies for the RSVP Keyboard: Different strokes for different folks. Proceedings of the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Fried-Oken, M., Mooney, A., Oken, B., &Peters, B. (2013). Clinical screening protocol for RSVP Keyboard BCI Use. Proceedings of the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting. Pacific Grove, CA.
- Oken, B.S., Orhan, U., Roark, B., Erdogmus, D., Fowler, A., Peters, B., Miller, M.,&Fried-Oken, M. (2013). EEG-based typing interface with language model for individuals who are functionally locked-in. Neurology. 80:S14.004.
- Fried-Oken, M., Erdogmus, D., Mooney, A., Peters, B., Orhan, U., Oken, B., &Roark, B. (2012). A brain computer interface using the RSVP Keyboard™for users who are locked-in. Seminar presented at the Biennial conference of the International Society on Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Pittsburgh, PA.
Community input
Here you will find articles and other writings from community members with locked-in syndrome who are participating in our research. You will also find newsletters featuring our research.
Resources for families
Podcasts
Brain computer interfaces with Dr. Melanie Fried-Oken. Listen to the podcast
Brain-computer interfaces for people with ALS. Listen to the podcast
Communication supports
We hope you will find these handouts helpful for those with locked-in syndrome:
Useful websites
Below, you will find links to online resources that we find useful. We encourage research participants and their families to take a look:
- Cognitive Systems Laboratory (CSL) at Northeastern University
- BCI Society
- Brain-computer interface fact sheet for the ALS Association, written by Dr. Fried-Oken and Ms. Betts Peters. Read the fact sheet